Easy Target
by katurdi
Summary: "Say goodbye, Izuku Midoriya…" the man said with a sadistic grin as he pushed on the knife. This was it. He wasn't getting out of this one. He gritted his teeth and glared up at the man, unable to express his contempt properly with the blade at his throat. At least Uraraka would be safe… maybe All Might would be able to find another successor."


**Whumptober Day 4: "No, stop!"**

 **Summary** : **"Say goodbye, Izuku Midoriya…" the man said with a sadistic grin as he pushed on the knife. This was it. He wasn't getting out of this one. He gritted his teeth and glared up at the man, unable to express his contempt properly with the blade at his throat.**

 **At least Uraraka would be safe… maybe All Might would be able to find another successor."**

 **Hey guys, I'm back with yet another whumptober prompt! I'm planning on doing quite a few of these things, so we're in for a long ride… Hope you guys enjoy! Happy whumping!**

* * *

"Hey, Deku? Why do you think Bakugo likes those spicy Cheetos so much?"

"Honestly, I don't question anything Kacchan does anymore. He probably likes them just because they say "flaming" on the bag," Izuku said with a chuckle, glancing at Uraraka. The girl was walking beside him with her arms swinging by her side and a content smile on her face.

"You think so? I think he burned off his tastebuds with that quirk of his," she giggled. As she swung her arm, her hand bumped against his slightly. Izuku wasn't sure if it was intentional or not, but either way it brought an intense blush to his face.

"Y-yeah! U-uh, you're probably right…" Currently, Izuku and Uraraka were making their way to the store to get food for their classmates. It wasn't very far from the dorms, so every week someone would go and restock the class's food supply. This week, it was Izuku's turn, but Uraraka decided to join him, saying she was bored. The bright blush on her face hinted otherwise.

Why did she blush around him so much, anyway? Did he look funny or something? Maybe it was because he was so "plain looking," as everyone else always says?

"-Deku… Deku!" Izuku snapped his head up and blinked rapidly, turning to Uraraka.

"Huh?"

"You zoned out again," she giggled and grabbed his hand, keeping her pinkie raised to avoid activating her quirk. Uraraka was _holding his hand_. Izuku was probably going to combust on the spot.

Uraraka laughed at his flabbergasted face, her own tinged pink, and tugged on his hand. "I was saying, we should go through here. It's a shortcut," she said, gesturing towards a nearby alleyway.

"O-oh, really? Okay then…" Izuku suddenly found himself being dragged behind Uraraka, as he pulled by their conjoined hands. They entered the alley, which was relatively narrow with a large dumpster on one side. The buildings on either side were long, so Izuku could barely see the end of the buildings.

"What do you want to get at the store, Deku?" Uraraka asked, her voice breaking the quietness of the alley.

"Um… I don't really know. I kind of wanted to get some things to make katsudon. That's kinda my favorite food, s-so I thought I should make some for everyone!" Suddenly, he realized how strange he probably sounded to Uraraka. He averted his eyes and rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly.

"T-though I'm pretty sure everyone's had katsudon at least once before, but there's this specific way my mom makes it that I really like, so it's kinda like my comfort food, if that makes any sense-" Uraraka cut off his nervous muttering tangent with a gentle squeeze of his hand. He looked at her nervously out of the corner of his eye.

"I think that's great, Deku," she said with a soft smile on her face. "If you like it so much, then we should make it together! I'd love to know how your mom makes it!"

Izuku looked at Uraraka incredulously. "R-really? You would?"

"Of course! I love spending time with you!"

Izuku blinked. She loved spending time with him? Seriously?

When Uraraka realized what she said a few seconds later, a furious blush covered her cheeks. "U-uh, n-not that I don't l-love spending time with everyone else! It's just that, um, you're my b-best friend, a-and I r-really like doing things with you!"

"Really?" Izuku's face heated up slightly, and he smiled warmly. "That's the first time someone's said that."

Uraraka smiled, her cheeks still flushed, and tugged on his hand. "Come on, Deku! We're almost-" she was interrupted when an unseen forced ripped her away from Izuku. One second their hands were intertwined, the next she was nowhere to be found.

"Uraraka!" Izuku shouted and whipped around, just in time to see Uraraka being slammed against a dumpster. She slumped forwards, not moving.

"What the-" He had no time to react before something slammed into him. Izuku's back collided painfully with a brick wall, and his head cracked against it. He grunted, nearly collapsing, until a hand wrapped around his throat and slammed him up against the wall again.

Izuku squeezed his eyes shut painfully and gasped in pain. The hand tightened around his throat, and suddenly he couldn't breathe. His hands automatically moved upwards to grasp at the one around his throat. His fingers wrapped around the thick, coarse cloth that clothed the... _thing's_ wrist.

"Hello, Izuku Midoriya," a deep, scratchy voice said, foul-smelling breath washing over his face. Izuku gasped and struggled for breath, his hands clawing at the man's hand. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe he _couldn't breathe-_

The hand around his neck loosened slightly, and suddenly Izuku could breathe again. He coughed painfully, trying to get the air back into his lungs, but the hand tightened again until he could only breathe in short, painful gasps.

"W-who… 're you?" Izuku wheezed. He tried moving his head to check on Uraraka, but the man's large, black-clothed body completely blocked Izuku's vision. His face was covered with a ski-mask, except for his eyes and mouth. "L'mme go!"

"Who am I? I'm afraid that you don't need to know that! However, I do know who _you_ are," the man said, punctuating his statement with a chilling laugh. "All you need to know about me is that I'm a follower of the ideology of Stain."

Izuku coughed as the hand tightened around his throat. He weakly pulled at the man's hand, and his vision blurred at the edges. "I watched you wannabe _heroes_ at the sports festival… and I have to say, none of you used your quirks very _heroically."_

The man leaned in closer to Izuku. "I think that the best way to achieve Stain's perfect society is to start by killing off you UA brats. What better way to groom the next generation of heroes by killing those who are unworthy?" The man grinned sadistically behind the mask.

More pressure was put against Izuku's windpipe, and he found himself gasping for breath once more. His air supply was cut off. Izuku could feel his consciousness leaving him, as his eyelids and limbs grew heavier. This man meant to kill him. He was going to die, and Uraraka-

He couldn't leave Uraraka.

Red lines glowed across his skin, and Izuku was encompassed by the familiar feeling of One for All running through his veins. Green lightning crackled around his body, and Izuku lashed out, punching the man across the face. The man was so caught off guard that he released Izuku's neck and fell backwards, hitting the ground with a satisfying _thump._

Izuku slid down the wall, coughing violently and grasping at his aching throat. After a few seconds, he rose on his knees shakily, gasping and wheezing. He had to find Uraraka, he had to get away-

The air once again forcefully left Izuku's lungs as the man kicked him in the stomach, shoving Izuku on his side. He wheezed breathlessly and curled inwards, his arms curving around to hold his throbbing stomach.

The man walked slowly around Izuku, this time aiming a sharp kick to his back. This time, Izuku cried out in pain, his back arching harshly.

"I gotta say, kid, you definitely didn't have that sort of power at the Sports Festival," the man growled. His slowly circled Izuku's curled form. "Last I checked, you break your body every time you use that quirk of yours. That's the main reason why I singled you out. You're an easy target."

Izuku raised his head to glare weakly at the man. "That's seriously how you wanna play? You want to pick out the _easy targets?_ I never heard Stain ever say anything like that, and I fought him!"

He fired up One for All and prepared to spring away. As quickly as a blink of an eye, the man moved, and suddenly a knife was embedded in Izuku's thigh.

Izuku screamed in pain and grasped at his leg, curling inward further. He panted harshly through the burning in his abused throat and gritted his teeth.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the man said. He knelt to Izuku's level and yanked the knife out, drawing another strained cry from between Izuku's clenched teeth. Dimly, Izuku thought of how his favorite pair of jeans were now stained with blood.

"My quirk allows me to speed up time temporarily. I can stretch five seconds into thirty. However, it has a ninety second cooldown," the man said, chuckling. "Although, I'd say that's more than enough time for me to kill you."

He leaned down and grabbed a handful of Izuku's hair, dragging Izuku's head backwards harshly. The same knife that previously wounded his leg was pressed to Izuku's aching throat.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll leave the girl alive to spread the word." The man grinned, and Izuku squeezed his eyes shut tightly. There was no way he'd be able to fight this guy, especially in his condition. Normally he'd have no problem with fighting through the pain of a stab wound or bruise, but with the recent strangling Izuku felt like he would pass out any second from the lack of oxygen.

The man forced Izuku's throbbing head backwards into the ground, exposing his throat. The rest of his body was curled inwards in a last-ditch attempt to stop the bleeding of his leg.

The knife cut into Izuku's neck, and he felt hot blood trickle down his throat. He tensed and grabbed the man's wrist that held the knife, attempting to push it back, but to no avail.

"Say goodbye, Izuku Midoriya…" the man said with a sadistic grin as he pushed on the knife harder. Izuku attempted to activate One for All again, but it didn't seem to want to work. Maybe it was because of the throbbing in his head, or the sluggishness of his body.

Izuku let out a strangled grunt, pushing upwards in a last-ditch effort to get the knife away from his neck. The blade only cut deeper, causing more blood to drip from the wound.

This was it. Izuku wasn't getting out of this one. He gritted his teeth and glared up at the man, unable to express his contempt properly with the blade at his throat.

At least Uraraka would be safe… maybe All Might would be able to find another successor.

"NO, STOP!"

Suddenly, the man's hand left his hair and the knife was jerked away from his throat, slitting his skin further. Izuku dissolved into a coughing fit and grasped at his neck, to be met with a warm slickness. Why was it still so hard to breathe? Was his throat damaged from earlier?

A loud screech met Izuku's ears, and he turned his hazy gaze upwards. He shook his head and blinked furiously, trying to clear the fog from his mind. No, that couldn't be right. Was that Uraraka fighting the man?

Izuku blinked again and his vision cleared slightly. His eyes weren't lying to him. That _was_ Uraraka fighting. In fact, she was on top of the man, punching at every inch of his body.

"You stay away from Deku!" She screeched, then punched the man again. Why did she look so… _angry?_

Izuku rolled over onto all fours and pushed himself up on his elbows shakily. Almost immediately, his head began to pound furiously, his vision swam, and his leg and throat stung horribly. Should he add a concussion to his list of injuries?

The sounds of more yelling and crashing reached Izuku's muddled ears. He had to get up and help Uraraka. What if she was hurt? What if the man's quirk activated again?

When he tried to push himself into a sitting position, Izuku's arms gave out on him. He slumped forwards, his head colliding with the pavement again, and the rest of his body protested against the movement. Izuku let out a slight groan of pain. He closed his eyes and let his body relax into the ground. Maybe he should just give up and pass out-

No, he _had to_ help Uraraka!

Izuku rolled over onto his side and coughed harshly. The fog in his mind grew stronger. His neck and leg stung fiercely. How much blood was he losing? Should he be trying to stop the bleeding?

"Deku! Are you okay?" Izuku pried open his eyes again, to be met with the blurry sight of Uraraka kneeling by his side. Her hands were outstretched and hovered over his shoulder, as if she was afraid to touch him. When did she get there, anyway? Did he space out?

"U-Uraraka…" Izuku rasped, "Did you… get him? Are you okay?" He coughed again and squeezed his eyes shut. Why was it so _hard_ to breathe?

"Don't talk, Deku! We've got to get back to the UA-" she took hold of his shoulder and rolled him onto his back. She gasped harshly. "Oh my gosh, Deku! W-what did he do to you? Is that blood?"

"Y-yeah, he… he got me a little…" Izuku swallowed painfully, feeling his eyelids droop. He could barely think through the cloudiness of his mind.

Uraraka shook his shoulder roughly, earning a wince from Izuku. "Deku, you've gotta stay awake, please! You've gotta fight it!"

He coughed again painfully. "I-I'm tryin'..." He blinked slowly, letting his head relax against the ground. Against his wishes, Izuku felt his body shutting down, with his limbs becoming limp.

"No! Deku, wait!" Uraraka's panicked voice cut through Izuku's muddled mind. "Please don't go to sleep! Please!" Izuku felt his torso being lifted upwards, an arm wrapping around his back and another behind his legs. Suddenly, Izuku was overcome with the feeling of weightlessness. Was it Uraraka's quirk or the lightness that came with unconsciousness?

"M'sorry…" he gasped out. He tried to keep his eyes open, he really did. Izuku didn't want to leave Uraraka behind, but the depths of unconsciousness forced itself upon him.

* * *

The first thought that entered Izuku's mind was how much everything hurt. Did he push himself too hard training again? Last he checked, he'd been able to get enough of a handle on One for All to refrain from breaking his limbs every time he used it… hadn't he?

Izuku pried his eyes open, which admittedly took much more effort than it should've. He blinked at the ceiling sluggishly. It was probably a bad thing that he now was able to recognize the ceiling of Recovery Girl's office. There was an IV drip in his arm and a bandage wrapped around his head.

He felt a slight pressure on his hand and a small amount of weight on the right side of the bed. Izuku tried to turn his head to look, but found that the movement was interrupted by thick bandages wound around his neck.

Someone was definitely next to him, though, but he couldn't see who it was. All he heard was gentle breathing, and he felt someone's hand wrapped around his own. Izuku barely registered that he was speaking. "What did I break this time?"

The person at his side stiffened, then straightened up. "Deku?" Suddenly, Izuku's vision was filled with Uraraka's worried face as she leaned over him. "Oh my gosh, you're awake!"

He looked up at her blearily. "How long was I out? What happened?"

"You were unconscious for about…" she checked the clock, then looked back at him. "Fifteen hours, after I brought you back."

"W-what? Fifteen hours?" Uraraka nodded. "What happened?" She bit her lip and sat on the edge of the bed, holding his hand between both of hers. Izuku pretended not to notice.

"After you passed out?"

"N-no, what happened with that guy? Did you defeat him? Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Should I-" She cut him off by laying a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezing slightly.

"Relax, Deku. My head just hurts a little. You're the one who got the worst of it…" Her face fell slightly, and she moved her hand to touch the bandages wrapped around his neck. He flinched slightly at the sharp sting, and she jerked her hand away. "It's my fault you got hurt! If only I hadn't let him knock me out so easily… you were fighting all alone while I was just sitting there!"

"Uraraka-"

"Y'know what? Recovery girl said you could have died! That wound on your neck was only an inch away from your jugular vein! I-if the knife got that, you definitely would have bled to death-"

"Ura-"

"And if you'd been strangled for any longer, she says you could have had brain damage from the deficiency of oxygen-"

"H-hey-"

"Also, you've got a concussion, and you could've bled out from the stab wound on your leg if we'd gotten to the UA five minutes later-"

"Uraraka!" She snapped her head up to look at Izuku. She had big, fat tears rolling down her face.

"You could have died, Deku!" She repeated, squeezing his hand so tightly Izuku thought it might bruise. He winced slightly, but complain. "It's all my fault! If only I hadn't suggested going through the alley-"

"Uraraka, I don't blame you! If it's anyone's fault, it's mine for letting him overpower me so easily… though he did say his quirk was time manipulation. I've never seen anything like that, he could be using his quirk to be a hero or to save a lot of people, so why in the world did he decide to become a villain with a quirk that powerful? Maybe it's because-" Izuku cut himself off from his muttering tangent, his face flushing red. "S-sorry, I did it again…"

He glanced up at Uraraka, to see that a slight smile had made its way onto her face. She had an unnamed look in her eye, one that Izuku had never seen her give anyone else before.

Wasn't that the way his mom looked at pictures of his dad?

"T-thanks, Deku," she hiccuped slightly, now beaming. "You always know how to make me feel better, huh?"

"I-I didn't-" He was cut off by her tiny giggle. Izuku reluctantly cracked a crooked grin at Uraraka. "Yeah, if you say so."

Uraraka suddenly leaned forward and placed a warm hand against Izuku's cheek. Izuku's cheeks flushed as Uraraka edged forward slightly, looking as though she was about to say something important. "Deku, I-"

"OI! DEKU!" The door was kicked inwards, and in strode Bakugo. He was followed by a squabbling Recovery Girl and a yelling Iida.

"WHERE'S MY CHEETOS, YOU NERD?!" He stode forwards, barely being held back by Iida and an irate Recovery Girl. "YOU HAD ONE JOB, AND THAT WAS TO GET MY FOOD! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, GETTING INJURED?!"

"Bakugo! That is enough!" Iida barked. "Can't you see that Midoriya is-" He suddenly stopped his lecturing when he turned to Izuku and Uraraka, and noticed their position. "Oh, are we interrupting something?"

Uraraka jumped backwards like she'd been burned, ripping her hand away from Izuku's face. However, she continued holding his hand. "I-i-it's not what it looks like, I swear!"

"WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME IS THAT DEKU BLEW OFF GETTING MY CHEETOS SO HE COULD GET DOTED ON BY ROUND-FACE!"

"T-that's not it at all, Bakugo!"

"OH YEAH? THEN WHERE THE HELL ARE MY CHEETOS?"

"Jeez, Kacchan, I didn't think I'd ever see the day where you cared about something other than yourself!" Izuku laughed, wincing when the motion pulled at his sore throat.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY DEKU? SAY THAT AGAIN TO MY FACE!"

"BAKUGO! STOP YELLING, IT IS UNBECOMING OF UA STUDENTS!"

"I-I-I swear that's not what was going on-"

"Both of you, stop this yelling! I can't treat my patients properly if you constantly disturb them!"

For some reason, Izuku found himself smiling at his friends' antics.

"HEY, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SMILING AT DEKU?" Bakugo yelled.

"Nothing," he continued grinning. "I'm just happy you're all here."

Uraraka turned to him, her face soft. She squeezed his hand and gazed at him with that same unnamed look in her eyes. "I'm glad you're okay, Deku. We all are."

He smiled even wider, if that was even possible. "Me too."


End file.
